Bulgaria’s government survives third no-confidence vote

Bulgaria’s government survives third no-confidence vote
By bne IntelliNews October 24, 2018

The government of Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov survived the third no-confidence motion filed by the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) with a comfortable majority of 133 MPs backing the cabinet versus 99 voting for its dismissal.

The result was expected as the ruling coalition between Borissov’s Gerb and the far-right United Patriots has a comfortable majority in parliament, but came in a highly turbulent week of protests demanding the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov and serious conflict within the United Patriots.

BSP filed the motion over the government’s failure to carry out health sector reforms. Although it was not backed at the time by the ethnic-Turk Movement for Rights and Freedom (DPS), the party’s MPs supported BSP in the vote.

Moreover, the DPS warned that Simeonov must resign or the government will fall. A warning from the party, which is formally in opposition but informally supports Borissov, could be taken more seriously as, if the United Patriots collapse, Gerb will lose its majority in parliament and will have to either call an early election or form a coalition with the DPS and the small Volya party led by businessman Vesselin Mareshki.

Simeonov is under heavy pressure from the public to resign over offensive comments he made about mothers of disabled children.

Protests erupted in several Bulgarian cities demanding Simeonov’s resignation after he called mothers campaigning for better treatment of their disabled children “a group of shrill women who speculated with their children, manipulated society, taking out in the streets those allegedly ill children in hot weather and rain”.

However, Borissov said he cannot ask for Simeonov’s resignation as this would lead to the government’s collapse, adding that he can only ask his deputy to resign if this has been proposed by the United Patriots. Otherwise he risks breaching the coalition agreement.

The United Patriots is a coalition between three far-right parties, the National Front for Salvation of Bulgaria (NFSB), the Bulgarian National Movement (VMRO) and Ataka. The coalition is leaded by the heads of the three parties – Simeonov of the NFSB, Krassimir Karakachanov of VMRO and Volen Siderov of Ataka.

On October 23, Karakachanov said he will not seek Simeonov’s resignation as this would bring the DPS or Volya to power. However, Siderov is demanding Simeonov’s dismissal and might decide to leave the coalition, leaving Borissov vulnerable.

In an attempt to calm down the situation, Simeonov apologised for his words on October 24, after refusing to do so for days. He specifically pointed out that his apology comes upon the request of the coalition council. The protesting mothers said they will not back off until he is removed from the government.

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